SC-401 certification: Information Security Administrator Associate
SC-401 is the exam for Microsoft Certified: Information Security Administrator Associate, the intermediate credential for protecting sensitive data with Microsoft Purview. You get 100 minutes, need a score of 700 or greater, and are tested on three equally weighted areas: information protection, data loss prevention and retention, and risks, alerts and activities. Microsoft prices the exam by country and renews the certification every year for free.
- Certification
- Microsoft Certified: Information Security Administrator Associate (Intermediate)Microsoft Learn certification page, checked 10 October 2026
- Status
- Active; the English exam is updated in October 2026 (certification page: October 14; study guide: skills as of October 28)Microsoft Learn certification page and SC-401 study guide, checked 10 October 2026
- Exam cost
- Not published as a single figure — priced by the country or region where the exam is proctoredMicrosoft Learn certification page, checked 10 October 2026
- Duration
- 100 minutesMicrosoft Learn certification page, checked 10 October 2026
- Questions
- Number not published by MicrosoftMicrosoft Learn certification page and study guide, checked 10 October 2026
- Passing score
- 700 or greaterMicrosoft Learn SC-401 study guide, checked 10 October 2026
- Languages
- English, Portuguese (Brazil), French, German, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), SpanishMicrosoft Learn certification page, checked 10 October 2026
- Prerequisites
- None formal; Microsoft expects familiarity with Microsoft 365 services, PowerShell, Entra and DefenderMicrosoft Learn certification page, checked 10 October 2026
- Renewal
- Every year, free online assessment on Microsoft LearnMicrosoft Learn study guide and renewal page, checked 10 October 2026
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Why you can trust these SC-401 questions
What is the Microsoft Certified Information Security Administrator Associate?
Microsoft Certified Information Security Administrator Associate is an intermediate, administrator-level certification. You earn it by passing one exam, SC-401. According to the study guide, the role plans and implements information security for sensitive data using Microsoft Purview and related services.
In practice that means protecting data in Microsoft 365 collaboration environments from internal and external threats, protecting data used by AI services, and implementing information protection, data loss prevention, retention and insider risk management. The role also manages information security alerts and takes part in responding to incidents.
Microsoft describes it as a role that works with governance, data and security teams and with workload administrators and business application owners to turn policy into technical controls.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Study guide for Exam SC-401. Checked 10 October 2026.
Is the SC-401 exam changing in October 2026?
Yes, the English version is being updated. The certification page states that the English language version of the certification will be updated on October 14, 2026. The study guide, however, is headed “Skills measured as of October 28, 2026”, so Microsoft’s two pages give different dates.
The change log in the study guide marks the audience profile and the information protection area as unchanged, and lists a minor change to “Implement and manage sensitivity labels in Purview”. The three skill areas and their weights stay as listed below. If your exam date is close to the end of October, read the current study guide the week you sit the exam.
There is no retirement date and no replacement exam announced for SC-401.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Study guide for Exam SC-401. Checked 10 October 2026.
How much does the SC-401 exam cost?
Microsoft does not publish a single SC-401 price. The certification page says the price is based on the country or region in which the exam is proctored, and the exact amount appears when you schedule.
The certification page links a free practice assessment and an exam sandbox, and renewal is free, so the exam fee itself is the main cost — plus any training you choose to buy.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Information Security Administrator Associate. Checked 10 October 2026.
SC-401 exam format and passing score
You have 100 minutes for the SC-401 exam, and it is proctored. Microsoft does not publish the number of questions. A score of 700 or greater is required to pass.
The exam is offered in English, Portuguese (Brazil), French, German, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified) and Spanish. If you fail, you can retake it 24 hours after the first attempt; for later retakes, Microsoft says the waiting time varies.
Before exam day, open Microsoft’s exam sandbox: it lets you experience the look and feel of the exam interface without any real questions.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Information Security Administrator Associate. Checked 10 October 2026.
SC-401 skills measured
The study guide splits the SC-401 exam into three skill areas, each weighted 30–35%. No single area dominates, so you cannot afford to skip one.
Information protection covers data classification, sensitivity labels in Microsoft Purview, and information protection for Windows, file shares and Exchange. Data loss prevention and retention covers DLP policies, Microsoft Purview Endpoint DLP and retention. Risks, alerts and activities covers Insider Risk Management, information security alerts and activities, and protecting data used by AI services.
- Implement information protection — 30–35%
- Implement data loss prevention and retention — 30–35%
- Manage risks, alerts, and activities — 30–35%
Source: Microsoft Learn — Study guide for Exam SC-401. Checked 10 October 2026.
SC-401 prerequisites
There is no formal prerequisite for the SC-401 certification: you can book the exam without holding another Microsoft certification. Microsoft does say you should be familiar with all Microsoft 365 services, PowerShell, Microsoft Entra, the Microsoft Defender portal and Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps.
That list is broad on purpose. Purview policies touch Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams, so an administrator who knows only one workload will find gaps.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Information Security Administrator Associate. Checked 10 October 2026.
SC-401 study guide, course and training
Start with the official SC-401 study guide on Microsoft Learn. It lists every skill under the three areas and the change log for the October update, so it is the one document to check your preparation against.
The certification page links a Microsoft Learn course under “Prepare for the exam” and SC-401 exam prep videos. Whichever training or course you pick, map it to the study guide skills rather than to a course outline.
Hands-on time in a Microsoft 365 tenant with Purview is the part no study material replaces: creating labels, DLP policies and retention policies yourself is the fastest way to understand the scenario questions.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Information Security Administrator Associate. Checked 10 October 2026.
SC-401 practice exam and practice questions
Microsoft provides a free SC-401 practice assessment on Microsoft Learn. It is the closest thing to an official SC-401 practice exam: Microsoft says practice assessments give an overview of the style, wording and difficulty of the questions you are likely to see.
Use it twice — once early to find weak areas, and once shortly before the exam. If you are looking for SC-401 questions beyond that, check them against the study guide; questions that cover skills not listed there are not helping you.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Study guide for Exam SC-401. Checked 10 October 2026.
SC-401 dumps
Microsoft’s exam security policy defines a brain dump as a source that contains exam questions fraudulently obtained to share or sell to other candidates, and states that using such material to prepare for or during an exam constitutes cheating.
The consequences are serious: Microsoft may permanently prohibit a candidate from taking future exams, ban them from the credential program and revoke certifications and scores. SC-401 dumps therefore put the certification itself at risk, on top of teaching answers instead of skills.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam and assessment security policies. Checked 10 October 2026.
How do you renew the SC-401 certification?
Microsoft associate certifications expire annually. You renew by passing a free online assessment on Microsoft Learn within a six-month window before expiry; once you pass, the certification is extended one year from the expiration date.
You can take the renewal assessment as many times as you need, as long as you pass before the certification expires.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Renew your Microsoft Certification. Checked 10 October 2026.
SC-401 vs SC-200, and what about salary?
SC-200 leads to Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate. It also gives you 100 minutes, but it covers a different job: managing a security operations environment, responding to security incidents and threat hunting. SC-401 is about protecting the data itself — labels, DLP, retention and insider risk. Microsoft is updating the English SC-200 exam on October 21, 2026.
On pay: Microsoft does not publish information security administrator salary figures for this certification, so this page does not quote any.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Security Operations Analyst Associate. Checked 10 October 2026.
SC-401 practice questions on Certsqill
Certsqill’s SC-401 practice questions are expert-developed: every question explains each answer option, and you see a readiness score for each of the three skill areas — useful when all three carry the same weight.
SC-401 questions people ask
What is the SC-401 certification?
SC-401 is the exam for Microsoft Certified: Information Security Administrator Associate, an intermediate certification for protecting sensitive data with Microsoft Purview. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 10 October 2026.
How long is the SC-401 exam?
100 minutes. Microsoft does not publish the number of questions. Source: Microsoft Learn certification page, checked 10 October 2026.
What is the SC-401 passing score?
A score of 700 or greater. Source: Microsoft Learn SC-401 study guide, checked 10 October 2026.
How much does the SC-401 exam cost?
Microsoft prices it by the country or region where the exam is proctored and shows the amount when you schedule. Checked 10 October 2026.
Is the SC-401 exam being updated?
Yes. The English version is updated in October 2026; the certification page says October 14, the study guide lists skills as of October 28. Checked 10 October 2026.
Are there prerequisites for SC-401?
No formal prerequisites. Microsoft expects familiarity with Microsoft 365 services, PowerShell, Microsoft Entra, the Defender portal and Defender for Cloud Apps. Checked 10 October 2026.
Is there an official SC-401 practice exam?
Microsoft offers a free practice assessment on Microsoft Learn that shows the style, wording and difficulty of the questions. Checked 10 October 2026.
How soon can I retake SC-401?
24 hours after the first attempt; for later retakes the waiting time varies. Source: Microsoft Learn certification page, checked 10 October 2026.
How do I renew the certification?
Pass the free online renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn each year, within six months before expiry. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 10 October 2026.
